Now comes word that Mr. Assange faces some local competition with Wings of Hope, located in west St. Louis County, also named as a nominee. The charity flies humanitarian missions to people all over the world.

"It's very much an honor to be nominated. But, of course, we want to win it," Wings of Hope president Douglas Clements tells KMOX.

The Nobel committee generally keeps secret for 50 years the names of all 150 to 200 nominees it receives each year. Clements tells the St. Louis Business Journal that he was contacted by someone from the Nobel organization six months ago for information about his organization and informed recently that Wings of Hope was nominated. A short list of Peace Prize candidates is expected to be made by late next month.